Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand has been fined $2,500 for slew-footing Penguins' defenseman Matt Niskanen in Pittsburgh on Monday, Dec. 5.
San Jose Sharks forward Andrew Desjardins has been fined $2,500 for boarding Blackhawks' defenseman Sami Lepisto in Chicago on Sunday, Dec. 11.
I had no idea there was a slew-footing incident the League was looking at. But see for yourself if this was a fine-worth incident.
The incident alone is probably not fine-worthy, yet I think the fine is appropriate because the call was wrong on the ice. Marchand was clearly guilty of slew-footing, defined by the Rule 52 as "the act of a player using his leg or foot to knock or kick an opponent's feet from under him...causing him to fall violently to the ice." That very clearly happened.
By rule, the only punishment a Referee can give if a player is guilty of slew-footing is a match penalty. No fines or suspentions are specified, but are mentioned in the rule as possible after a review by the Commissioner.
But the call on the ice was for tripping (a minor penalty). I think, as the commentator thought in the clip, that it was a slew-foot penalty. If the call had been slew-footing at the time, I don't think a further fine would have necessarily been warranted.
In the case of Desjardins: this is exactly the outcome I expected. Good call.
